Maynard James Keenan Delivers Artful Speech on Creation Through Tension

Maynard James Keenan took some time on June 10 to speak about creation through tension. The musician and winemaker delivered a speech at the Phoenix Sparks / BALLE Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., which allowed the audience of "localists" to take a special look into Maynard's creative process.

"Maynard James Keenan, known for his role in popular rock bands Tool and A Perfect Circle, spoke about his new endeavor making Arizona wine," writes Be a Localist. "He talked about how Arizona is the perfect place to do this, as there is enough friction in the environment to create that edge where the most interesting kinds of art take place."

Maynard covered mainly wine (walking with a cane due to recent hip replacement surgery) but many of his points relate to Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer as well. "Most people spend their entire lives trying to avoid friction," Keenan began. "Somewhere along the way, I found it in myself a desire -- a calling -- to embrace friction, tension, transitions, changes and to work with them … Life is change. Life is friction."

Keenan continued, "[Life is] working with the tension and the friction, because that's where art is. That's where the art occurs. The purest art and the best forms of art are those ones that actually capture that moment; that edge." Maynard went on to affiliate the creation of a cello with his friction theory, describing the bending of wood into "impossible" shapes, tightening strings to the edge of snapping and using the friction of a bow to complete the process of creating beautiful sonic tones.

If you're the type who yearns to absorb as much MJK philosophy as possible, check out his inspirational speech in the video above.

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